Family Comes First
by PikaDarkness
Summary: In this story, the Ketchum family go through ordeals that change them forever.
1. Introduction

Family Comes First

Chapter 1

_By PikaDarkness_

Introduction.

**Author's Note:** _I hope you don't mind that I added two new characters into the story you know Kimmie as Ash's sister and Corey as their father and Delia's husband... anyways just enjoy the story._

Ash, Kimmie, Brock and Misty were walking back to Pallet Town from Cerulean City after Misty's sisters somehow busted the tank in which fresh water flowed into their pool taking the "Dirty" water out. Misty tried to help fix it but was unable to, so she simply said "Call a freaking mechanic!" and stormed out of the place, followed by her chortling friends, and behind her back they had been whispering about it half-way through their journey back. When she asked them what they were talking about they'd fight a losing battle to keep a straight face and say "Oh nothing we're l-laughing about nothing" and she'd keep her eye on them until they passed a bug pokemon - and well you know what she does when she see's one so really there is no need for further explanation.

Right now, Ash Kimmie and Pikachu pulled ahead of Misty and Brock, who didn't like the speed they were travelling at one bit, Misty especially, she was grumbling and saying random insults under her breath.

"Argh slow down man sheesh!" Groaned Misty. "Your walking _WAY_ to fast!"

Kimmie turned around without stopping and cocked an eyebrow at her. "We're not walking to fast; you're just walking to damn slow!" Misty took a slight offence to that but didn't persue the matter, although she would have if Pallet Town couldn't be seen up ahead. Brock gave a sigh of relief that this wasn't one of these times he broke a fight up ... one that wasn't a threat to sanity, health and physical well-being.  
"Come on guys lets go!" Shouted Ash then forgetting they travelled miles in 1 and a half days Ash and Kimmie sped up. Well more like ran.

Dodging inbetween pedestrians they raced down the streets in search for theirs, twice they collided with ladies and shopping trolley's other times they failed to notice garbage bins and poles, as a result they rikishaded of them.

That didn't stop them. Laughing at their misfortune they put on another burst of speed as their house and street came into view. Ash pulled slightly ahead and tried and failed to wrench open the gate so in his hysteria he tumbled over the top landing back first on the cement. Kimmie opened the gate almost toppling over with her laughter and giddiness. It was at that time Misty and Brock came to the gate seeing Ash on the ground and Kimmie grasping the gate for support, both were laughing.

Chuckling Brock spoke up his voice cracked and strained from panting and trying so hard not to laugh not to mention giggle. "Alright guys ... that is enough do you want to see your parents? Or do I have to knock and get them to drag you inside?" he crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow - which made them laugh more and within 5 secounds they were literally out-of-breath it seemed to them air was void from the world.

Kimmie fell to her knees laughing; her legs unable to hold her weight any longer. "I'll take option B please!" Brock just sighed. But he couldn't stop himself from looking at Kimmie with love and compassion,

Beckoning Misty forwards they stepped inbetween the Ketchum kids and knocked on the door.

"Pikapi? Pikachupi?" Pikachu sighed questioningly. (A/n: Pikachupi is what I came up with for "Kimmie"). But then he gave up on them as they didn't answer. Jumping on Ash's stomach, who yelped as his heavy Pokémon jumped on him, he followed Misty and Brock.

The door swung open and Corey appeared he nodded and said "Hello" to Misty and Brock who greeted him, and then Corey chuckled as his eyes befell his kids. "Worn out are they?" He asked Brock and Misty. They sighed and nodded.

"Yeah we travelled here from Cerulean City in a day and a half and they barely slept at all, plus they ran from the shopping centres all the way here!" Misty recalled and Corey stared at Ash and Kimmie incredulously. They must have really missed home.

"Suppose I'll have to carry them inside" Corey sighed. "Who do you reckon I should carry in first?" He asked Misty who thought for a moment then replied:

"Ash, he's most likely the heaviest one, it'd be better if you brought him in first."

She had a point Ash was the heaviest, and Corey seemed to think so too. Hoisting his son up with a groan he staggered inside and sat him on the couch. Kimmie was much lighter and he carried her in not complaining one bit about her weight.

"You kids really have to stop pushing yourselves to the limit just to get home, I mean it isn't going anywhere" Corey said, he went to continue but he heard deep breathing, so he looked at his kids and chuckled, they both had fallen asleep.

TO BE CONTINUED...

**So how was that? Not bad for a first attempt!! But if your bored with it, be warned it's only going to get exciting suspensefull and believe it or not romance fies for the Ketchum Kidz! So read on!!**


	2. Injuries

Family Comes First  
Chapter 2

Injuries

Ash was the first one to wake, not because he had at least nine hours sleep – it was because he had fallen off the couch smacking his shoulder and the side of his head on the coffee table, which flipped on it's side making a loud bang.  
Almost immediately the door to his parent's room opened and a frightened Corey appeared. Seeing Ash on the floor clutching his head, he ran down the stairs by two's and went to check out Ash's condition.  
"Ow, ouch!" Moaned Ash as Corey pried his hand away from his face, Corey gasped; his head was bleeding profusely and it caked his hands.  
"Oh no..." Corey muttered, at loss for what to do. He gently laid Ash down on the ground; he got up and rushed to the bathroom to wet a handtowel, then ran to the kitchen to pull out some aspirin and to get some water.  
By the time he got back in, Kimmie was kneeling beside Ash, comforting him as he cried silently in pain.  
Also kneeling beside Ash, Corey gently lowered the handtowel to Ash's head; Ash shuddered as it touched his wound, his throbbing head became harsh pangs of pain. This made Ash cry out and sob convulsively.  
"Kimmie go get Mum!" Corey commanded, Kimmie immediately rushed off up the stairs not bothering to keep her feet from pounding noisily on the stairs.  
"Mum! Mum!" Cried Kimmie, in panic. Delia immediately rose from her pillows looking at her daughter with sleepy concern.  
"What is it?" She asked her voice was dragged and ragged, her tone easily said that she wanted more sleep.  
"Ash is hurt! He's bleeding and everything!" That snapped Delia out of her sleepiness because she threw the bedcovers off her and rushed out the bedroom door and down the stairs. Kimmie immediately followed.  
Ash was shaking on the ground; he was freezing even though his body could have gotten warm for his blood running down him, seeing as he was a warm blooded mammal, but now Ash wondered if the scientists screwed up on yet another thing. He disregarded it immediately; his situation was more of a thing to worry about.  
Blood was piling out of his body soaking through the handtowel. What more could they do?  
Brock and Misty came out of Ash's room, they could see Kimmie Corey and Delia circled around Ash, but they disregarded that it was anything important.  
How wrong they were.  
They paused on the last step gazing down in appal at the state of their best friend, who was blood-soaked and shaking.  
"Call an ambulance" Corey said suddenly directing their attention to him. "Please"  
Brock raced to the phone, and dashed to the confines of the kitchen.  
"What happened" Misty asked running to Ash.  
Corey's eyes never wavered off his son "He hit his head on the coffee table" he said summing it up in one sentence.  
Misty winced.  
Stubbing your toe on furniture but to _hit your head on a coffee table?!_ God knows how much pain Ash was in.  
"The ambulance will be here soon." Brock said making his entrance from the kitchen putting the phone back on its respective reciever. "How's Ash?"  
"Still bleeding, and whimpering for that matter" Delia muttered as Ash started to sob and whine under his breath.  
This didn't look good."

The ambulance came 23 minutes later.  
"Where the hell were they? On a doughnut break or something?" Kimmie bursted out angrily. Brock put his arm on her shoulder and she retreated into his arms. A unfamiliar sensation brewed in the pit of her stomach, like the one you get when you leapt off something tall, but she liked it no matter how odd it made her feel.  
Soon Ash was loaded into the ambulance and Delia climbed in after promising to call when he was better, when they could visit.

Corey,Kimmie,Brock and Misty watched the ambulance drift off down the road, down the street filled with night.

**TO BE CONTINUED **

**Uh Oh! Ash is hurt! ... its becoming a natural thing in my stories! i really gotta hurt Kimmie sometime... maybe Corey or Delia Misty Brock ... or even poor little Pikachu! - review and tell me what YOU want to happen and I will try to work it into my story!**


	3. Memories of my past responsibilities

Er

Family Comes First

_By PikaDarkness_  
Chapter 3  
Memories of my past responsibilities.

The hospital proved to take its toll on Ash; he absolutely hated everything about it, from the Doctors and Nurses, to the sheets he was encompassed in. Delia knew of his disgust, for she warned him to be polite to the workers for they saved his life, and that he didn't really have a choice but to stay there until he was discharged.  
That didn't really suit Ash but he had to admit she had a fair point, he did owe them all his life, and he was kind of in their debt even if they were just doing their job. Delia noticed his lapse into silence, for she looked at him quizzically and asked:  
"Honey are you ok?"  
Ash jerked his head up from the sheets he had been staring at for over a minute and looked surprised to see his mother still sitting there.  
"What? – oh – oh yeah I'm fine" He stuttered as he tried to answer her question. Ash wasn't fine in the general sense; his head was still throbbing, the hospital was pissing him off, something bad just seemed to slink into his mind and implanted itself in the back of his mind and every time he tried to grasp at it, to find what it was, it slid away like it was covered in jelly.  
Delia didn't buy his lies; Ash didn't know why he bothered lying to lie to her at all, she had the gift of knowing or as Ash preferred to call it: "The Mother disease" or "The Mother Syndrome".  
Delia watched as her sons eyes fell to the sheets and became absorbed in it, but what was there to look at? The sheets were white with no pattern not even the stitches could be made out. So she grasped Ash's hand and when he lifted his head to look into her eyes she spoke.  
"Ash honey, your not fine" Delia said matter-of-factly. "So just tell me what's bothering you"  
Ash struggled to find a good excuse, but seeing as lying got him no-where, truth was the best option.  
"Well if you must know my head hurts something I don't know about is sending warning bells off in my head I have had it with this hospital as well" Ash added nodding his head slightly.  
"What's the warning bells going off about sweetie?" Delia asked confused.  
"You" Ash answered jokingly.  
"Why you" Delia growled, Ash didn't notice her hands went under the sheets. Ash waited for a response but when he got none he considered it victory to him.  
Suddenly Ash cried out with shock, Delia was tickling his bare feet, she ignored his pleas for mercy, and ran her fingers up his feet repeatedly, enjoying the sight of Ash laughing, and him being defenceless while she tortured him like this.  
"No ... stop mum please" Ash pleaded through his laughter, he cried out again as she grabbed his left foot and tickled that for another minute before finally stopping.  
Ash's giggles finally died down, but his mother's gloating smile didn't. Ash stuck his tongue out at her and she threw him a warning look.  
"Heh I'm going to go call Dad and tell him he can visit." Delia said getting up and walking outside.  
Ash fell into thought again. He almost yelped as a voice, a loud rasping and hissing voice filled his ears.  
_They have no idea in the trouble brewing..._  
What? What trouble?  
_There shall be no answers, and there shall be nought but questions.  
_This was absurd! What questions? And what wont there be answers to?  
_There is a storm brewing, planning to destroy all being, be warned fair one and take heed, Pallet town is in your families hands...  
_Oh crap not this again! He was getting sick of helping everyone out! Saving their lives! Why... why the world or town's placing all this responsibility on him? Surely a 13 year old kid couldn't do this!  
_Pallet town is in your families hands. _So this time his family was standing by him now ... and just like him they didn't have a choice.  
But what were they saving Pallet Town from? And their wasn't a specific date. I guess old ghostly or whatever it was, decided we'd know what we'd be keeping an eye out for, pfft what a fat load of help he was! Ash thought bitterly.  
"Ash! Ash! Wake up Ash!" A voice reverberated around his already sore head, making it hurt a lot more then he previously cared to realise.  
Ash opened his eyes, he fainted? How'd he not know that?  
"Ash..." It was his mother that had been calling out to him. "Never do that again you scared the heck outta me"  
"I-I'm sorry I didn't know I passed out" Ash admitted shakily. "What happened?"  
"Well when I came back from calling your father you were fine, sitting up in bed and all, but suddenly you gasped and fainted, I guess you fainted although you wouldn't've been shaking and jerking like that if you were..." Delia seemed to board a train of thought, snapping out of it she looked into his eyes and said "Don't you dare do that again!"  
"I never asked for it to happen it just did!" Ash decided that telling her about the voice was the best option. "And mum? When I fainted this voice exploded in my head, it told me..."  
It didn't take long to retell the story and Delia laughed once he was finished, startling and hurting Ash, she didn't believe him.  
"That's ridiculous" Delia sighed shaking her head with an amused smile on her face.  
"I know! But it then again it did all those times I saved the world or Pokémon or just cities!"  
"Enough!" Snapped Delia suddenly, scaring her son. "Your... you just imagining things ... there is nothing for you to save... and your not doing it alone regardless!"  
"But it said the whole family! Not just me!" Protested Ash.  
Delia leapt from her seat and grasped her son's shoulders and pinned him down on the bed. Ash shrunk back as her venomous expression tore through him.  
"Now you will listen to me! Listen! I will not jeopardise the lives of you your father or your sister! Do you understand me?" She shook him hard so his head snapped vigorously back and forth. "Huh? Do you!?"  
"OW! Yes! Yes mum I do! I do!" Ash cried, his head sent excruciating pangs through him. Delia released him and stormed out the door a look of pure anger on her face.  
Ash cradled his head in his hands and curled himself into a ball and started to cry.  
The visions of the past didn't help with the pain either.  
The pain of his past responsibilities.


	4. Haunted!

Family Comes First  
_By PikaDarkness_

Chapter 4  
Haunted!

Ash had finally stopped crying as his head stopped hurting, Delia was sitting outside and listened to the pain she inflicted on her son, she felt horrible that she did that... How could she do that?  
Delia got up and walked into the room. Ash turned his back on her, Delia sensed fear in Ash's action.  
"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to snap and hurt you" Delia apologised, Ash shuffled around and met her eyes... well she looked sorry."  
Ash opened his arms and hugged her. Delia closed her eyes as she held him.  
_Knock knock! _Ash and Delia broke apart to discover the rest of the gang standing in the doorway.  
"How are you Ash?" Corey asked worry filling every syllable "You had me going last night!"  
"Sorry" mumbled Ash but Corey waved it away; obviously he knew Ash hadn't meant it. "Yeah I'm feeling better"  
Corey was pleased.  
"How do you like this Ash?" Kimmie asked setting a bouquet of flowers down, as did Misty.  
"Aw come on I'm a guy... they don't have flowers surrounding them!" Ash protested, Kimmie drew three flowers from the bouquet and threw the plucked ones at Ash.  
"Ok so have 'em on ya!" Ash laughed and threw them back.  
"Having fun guys?" A doctor appeared at the doorway disrupting the fun. "I'm Dr Hardy... I'm here to let you know you've been discharged your free to go home!"  
Ash was over the moon.

Ash couldn't get to sleep that night; the voice had come back, and was constantly repeating itself, seriously pissing Ash off! But this time he fell asleep and the voice appeared.  
"No! Go Away! Leave me alone! NO!" screamed Ash. Delia and Corey burst into his room and shook him gently pleading for him to wake up.  
He eventually did, with tears in his eyes. Delia and Corey pulled him into a hug; Delia was thinking that what Ash had said seven hours ago didn't seem ridiculous as much as it did before.  
"Shh buddy your safe no-one is going to hurt you!" Corey soothed beginning to rock Ash back and forth until he fell asleep once more  
--

Several times that day Ash collapsed and woke up screaming from the dreams with the creepy voice Delia and Corey were scared half to death about their son.  
"Honey what's wrong with you?" Delia asked Ash one day later after Ash had reawaken.  
"The voice reminding me to save Pallet!" Ash burst out angrily. Delia was being swayed; she was taking Ash's word on it.  
--


	5. The Battle

Family Comes First

_By PikaDarkness_

Chapter 5

The Battle

Ash rushed over to the doorway in which Kimmie had noticed the storm 'It's almost here!' He had to warn Pallet!  
Rushing to open the door Ash ran out into the streets of Pallet.  
"EVERYONE!" Ash screamed and people stopped. "Pallet town is going to be under attack! Get out and save yourselves!"  
There was a few seconds of silence before people roared with laughter. Ash was dismayed.  
"Good one kid!!" One guy roared holding onto a street pole  
"No wait! I'm serious! Why won't you listen to me?!" Ash cried looking at the people with frustration.  
"Because they think you're just a kid Ash" Kimmie muttered coming to his side, Ash was sickened... he wouldn't make this stuff up! Just because he was a kid didn't prove a thing!  
The people began to detach from the group they subconsciously formed.  
"Their all going to die" Kimmie muttered.  
--

The battle was in action it had been for two hours now, mangled bodies lay every few feet and the ones that were still alive had cleverly hidden themselves.  
Giovanni was searching for one person in particular. He kicked a man in the guts that gave a war-cry and ran at him; the kick sent him down in a heap.  
Where was Ash Ketchum?

Ash was battling a masked guy on this half spearow half Pikachu thing that Ash assumed was genetically enhanced or just somehow an experiment gone wrong.  
"Ahh!" He yelped as a talon swiped his arm. Falling back he watched it bleed for a couple of seconds before leaping up as if nothing happened.  
He ordered Pikachu to thunderbolt it and sizzling it collapsed.

Giovanni noticed several of Ash's relatives but nothing of Ash himself.  
"Piiiiika-chhhhhuuuuu!" There! Wherever Pikachu was Ash was! Giovanni rushed forwards just as one of his men were about to stab Ash.  
--

Ash had somehow ended up on the ground with the man holding a dagger standing above him.  
"Wait" Ash heard a new voice and looked up expecting it to be his father or one of his friends, with a gasp it was Giovanni.  
"Let me kill him!" Giovanni said swiping the dagger off the stranger, looking at Ash he smiled, Ash looked around for help, seeing Misty he called out to her.  
"MISTY!" she turned at the sound of her name, her eyes widened in fear as the dagger came down in Ash's chest and he screamed in agony. Misty rushed over to him a small thought sent shivers down her spine  
What if she was too late? Wrenching the dagger out she cringed as Ash howled in pain.  
He was dying

**To Be Continued...**


	6. Memory Will Never Die

Family Comes First

_By PikaDarkness  
_Chapter 3  
Memory Will Never Die.

_I whisper in your ear_

"Misty..." Ash choked out, clutching at his chest where the dagger had been driven in. His eyes were closing, but he had to fight it – Misty needed to know his feelings before he departed off. Tears stung at his eyes at the prospect that he'd never get to see her again, her beauty that dazzled him, her wits that charmed him, and have those meaningless fights he thrived on ... making him feel closer to Misty Waterflower.  
Misty grabbed his hand and gasped "I'm here... I'm here" She didn't bother saying he'd be alright... it would be too late.  
"I need to... tell you something" Ash's voice was inaudible, Misty nodded her head encouraging him to continue, and he did so... using every bit of strength he had.

_The words you wanna hear._

"Misty... I love you" Ash's voice was garbled, but Misty could decipher what they meant.  
"Ash... I-I love you too!" Misty sobbed. Ash weakly smiled, he slowly pulled her in for a kiss that would be his first... and his last. Misty loved his warm lips on hers, but he soon broke it. His eyes closed Misty thought he'd passed on.  
"And Misty?" Coughed Ash and Misty looked shocked. How long could he hold on?  
"Yes...?" She softly responded."  
"Tell Mum and Dad I love them... and tell Kimmie that... no matter what... she must continue living her dream... for me"  
"I will Ash I will"  
"And that I will always be in their hearts if they look hard enough... and though I'll be gone from the world... I will always be in theirs... and tell Mum and Dad not to lose hope or divorce... that'll affect Kimmie more"  
"Alright"  
"One more thing Mist"  
"Ok"  
"Don't ever forget me"  
That hit Misty hard, tears ran down in piles making rivers down her face.  
"I won't ever" She vowed.  
"And never let go of life... Until you're an old lady... Who died warm and safe in her bed."  
"I won't" Misty vowed again. This was when Ash weakened and took his last breath.  
"I love you" He whimpered, then he became still.

_You feel the wind and it reminds you_

It took Misty a long time to rise from her squatting position, her tears never ceased.  
"I love you too Ash Ketchum" and Misty then kissed his lips that were now turning cold. "With all my heart and for you... I will never let go of life."  
The wind cast a warm and protective wave around her, 'Ash...' she thought, he was right, he was with her, no matter where he was.

_That happens every time_

Misty cast one more glance at Ash then went to find Brock and Ash's family. Brock! Ash never said anything for Brock!... well maybe because Ash knew Brock didn't need words of advice, or reminding of where he'd be... Brock knew already. And how would poor Delia Corey and Kimmie react when they found out that-that...?

_You Stop and close your eyes_

Misty stopped to regain control of herself, she closed her eyes trying to stop the tears, but it didn't work... but she gasped as Ash whirled in her minds-eye, it was clouded and misted over but she saw him as plain as day.  
"Never let go..." his voice reverberated calmly and lovingly through her head, as his face danced in the cloud that encompassed him.  
'I won't' she thought back with tenderness, Ash just smiled and his face fell away.

_You can't deny what lives inside you_

"Delia, Corey, Kimmie, Brock?"Misty whispered. All four turned to her and looked shocked at her expression.  
"What's the matter?" Corey asked, looking around, and Misty knew he was looking for his son.  
"Ash..." was all that came from her.  
"Ash? He isn't hurt is he? My baby boy isn't hurt?" Delia fretted. This made the pools of tears reform.  
"I'm sorry... but he's-he's" Misty took a deep rattling breath that made the air restrict from the now three Ketchum's throat.  
"Ash is dead." And the tears strolled down her face.  
"NO!" Screamed Delia, falling to her knees. Corey sat down next to her and drew her into a hug, his body was shaking as well, and Misty knew he was crying too. Kimmie stood there dumbstruck. Misty came forward and pulled her into a hug, now her body vibrated as she began to wallow in pain from losing her baby brother.  
Misty closed her eyes again. "Tell them what I said... they need to know..." Ash's voice resounded again.

_Well I know it's hard to see _

Misty told them, everything. She turned to Brock and said he had nothing to say to him because he already knew it all. Brock nodded and tears rolled down his face. Kimmie walked forward and hugged him, they clutched each other very hard.  
"I know" Kimmie whispered audibly for everyone to hear. "I know it's hard but we'll pull through it... for Ash... we owe him that much." Kimmie's words we're true, they owed that much to Ash, so did the remaining Pallet Towner's, Ash had warned them but they laughed and looked the other way, then it was too late and then they believe him... he fought for them... now he is dead! They owe him much more then their lives.

_What is meant to be_

Was Ash supposed to die? Was he meant to pass so the rest of us could live? Well without him there Misty couldn't imagine living, but her promise to Ash willed out and she lived on, achieving her dreams, and making Ash more proud of her then he was before.

_When yesterday is so far behind you_

To think that yesterday was so calm, that everything was still intact, that their world had not yet crumbled, to think Ash had been their not knowing that the next day would be his last.

_Deep inside your soul I'm always there_

For the Ketchum's life was difficult, not having Ash around was enough to bring them to tears if they walked into his room to tell him something then forgetting that he was no longer with them. Not having Ash's humour made them angry at God for ripping him from their clutches, not having Ash's unique character and weird persona made them feel empty... Ash made their lives worth living.  
Misty likewise was having the same problem, but she never had to search far to find Ash, it seemed his soul had moulded into hers making it easy for her to find him.

_You made me believe_

The Ketchum's deserved to know that by looking into their soul's was the way to find him, so one day Misty got the courage to tell them, and from that point on they never had the same emptiness as before, soon they were laughing about all the goofy things he used to do, all the accomplishments he did that made them proud, and all the people he helped, that made them love him.

_The day you surrendered to me_

To some people Ash just gave up, to others he had no say in the matter and to others, he was a hero... who died so others could live, he did all this at the mere age of thirteen.

_The memory will never die_

The reason they kept strong... was the memories the Ketchum's shared with Ash, they told Misty and Brock and to Gary who came over to offer support. They laughed, smiled and cried till their chest hurt.

_And the love that you gave_

He was a truly remarkable person, and Misty vowed in no way should he have ever been forgotten. He loved people the way no one else could, his true character shined through even when he tried to hide it, and the love he gave to humans and Pokémon was simply touching.

_I'll never throw it away_

Misty always said "You can write your feelings on a piece of paper and give it to the special someone, but that increases the chances of it being thrown away. To tell someone face to face was an amazing feat, as rejection was a big factor in finding love." Dear lord she was sounding like Ash... she really had become him now. Not that it was a bad thing.

_The memory will never die._

"I remember the time when he battled me for his first badge" Brock said."He used Pikachu against Onix, not a very wise move... but the sprinklers came on and weakened Onix and Pikachu thunderbolted it my brothers and sisters raced up and restrained him... They didn't want me to lose, Ash ran from the gym, but I gave him the badge anyways"  
"How come Brock?" Corey asked surprised.  
Brock squinted one eye as he tried to remember why he'd given it to Ash that way "He showed prestigious amount of skill and fair play... he deserved it.. he coulda defeated Onix but gallantly left because it didn't seem fair."  
"Sounds like Ash alright" Delia giggled.

_Your tide has taken turn_

Misty walked out of the gym sighing with relief, that day she battled a lot of trainer's all looking to become Pokémon Masters, one reminded Misty of Ash, with the vest and baseball cap. He showed skill and unnerving strength and undoubtedly picked up the win. Misty beamed at him and handed over the badge.

_Another lesson learned_

Misty had grown up in a month, not having Ash had seen to that. But she wasn't upset about it anymore. She boarded a bus for Pallet Town where every night she Brock and Gary went to the Ketchum's house to reminisce and help out. Ash's room had been left the way it was, like a memorial to him, paying respects so long as the house remained, and they remained in it.

_I'm right here but still you wonder_

Gary had become Misty and Brock's friend, they thought he was sympathetic about them not having "Their first wheel" But they figured out he was just like Ash, he just didn't like to publicise it. Sometimes Misty thought about if she had made the right decision to accept Gary in... but soon she didn't mind it.

_But you're saying it to me more_

Misty closed her eyes "I love you Misty" Ash's voice sounded, and blew a kiss that she felt rolling around in her head. This had become a daily ritual... every time she needed solace, she'd close her eyes and get what she wanted from Ash, who seemed to be living inside of her. She was connected to him.

_Known as it was before_

Life wasn't like it was before, but they coped, better then anyone expected. Losing a son, brother, friend and lover had to be difficult, and it was without a doubt. But Ash was never truly gone until they forgot about him.

_Your on your own and going under._

Enemies like Giovanni were on their own; Team Rocket had disbanded and was now working their way into the right direction, Jessie and James had become Gary Brock's and Misty's friend, and helped translate everything little Pikachu said, who had rejoined them after living with other people for a while. One night the news was randomly flicked on and the mangled form of Giovanni was pulled from a lake, he was on his own, and had gone under. The news reporter say he ordered the attack on Pallet Town and was responsible for Ash's death.

_Deep inside your soul I know I'm always there._

Soon Kimmie and Brock had gotten into a relationship, they held from the lovey-dovey stuff while Misty was in their presence, but Misty told them it was ok and that just because Ash was gone right after he admitted his feelings to her doesn't mean they have to be careful about what they did around her. She loved Ash yes but that didn't mean people should hold their feelings in and wait to the last moment, their last breath, to be around them, tell them, do things with them.

_You made me believe_

Ash made Misty believe he was at peace no matter if Giovanni had been responsible for his death, and as long as he was contented (He lived in side her and thus she felt his feelings) she was happy.

_The day you surrendered to me_

Not only had Ash surrendered his life to Pallet town. He surrendered his life to Misty. And that was a thought that made her sleep peacefully at night no matter what had happened throughout the day.

_The memory will never die_

His memory certainly never died, simply because a statue that resembled Ash had been made... and brought over to the Ketchum house, who cried with happiness... they cared for him after all.

_For the love you gave_

The love Ash gave never died, they could still feel his love run course through-out their bodies, running into their bones, if they could feel that then they felt him.

_I'll never throw it away_

'Stupid Hoenn people!' Misty thought savagely as she boarded a boat, she was coming back from Hoenn, the reason she had gone their was to tell May and Max the news, they were devastated, Misty put off the trip for a while until she gotten used to Ash being dead. Dawn was horrified when Misty told her, she cried for hours and Misty said "I know how you feel" and shortly afterwards Dawn relaxed.

_The memory will never die _

"And may Ash Ketchum's soul rest in peace" and the robed man closed his book and mourner's that packed in my thousands turned and left all bearing looks of sorrow... 'Ash's soul is resting in Peace" Misty thought pleasantly, and followed Gary and Brock out of the cemetery.

_Whenever you wake up_

Ash wasn't going to wake up... but they hoped one day he might, even if it was impossible. And as Misty scattered some of Ash's ashes and passed it onto Brock that was what she thought.

_Whenever you gave up all that you had _

Ash had given up a lot for the world...

_For nothing at all_

... and nobody really seemed to care, and that made Misty mad, all those people should be in his debt! And they acted if no Ask Ketchum had helped them at all.

_The minutes you lay in_

'Humph seems more like months!' Misty thought watching Brock and Kimmie snuggle on the couch watching a love movie.

_Whenever you made it_

Ash made it through a lot of times and Misty wished he survived the stabbing, but she couldn't go back in time to stop all this no matter how hard she wished.

_And nobody is there to catch you when you fall._

Nobody really was except for Misty Brock and Tracey. They caught him when he fell and he was there to do the same thing.

_You made me believe_

Ash made Misty believe in a lot of things that seemed unreal, afterlife was one of them, Misty couldn't wait to get old and die so she could join up with Ash again, feel his warm lips on hers and hopefully the afterlife lets you go further then that...

_The day you surrendered to me_

'He surrendered alright... but never to Giovanni so I am happy' Misty thought while reading an article about Ash and this line had caught her attention:  
"While Ash Ketchum had surrendered his life to his hometown, could it be possible he surrendered it to Giovanni? And how would his family and friends take it?"

_The memory will never die_

Delia and Corey had had another child and named it "Ash Junior" the baby looked like the baby photo's of Ash that they showed Brock and Misty, Gary had already seen them. Misty's heart melted at the sight of young baby Ash.

_And the love that you gave_

Ash Junior was growing up and had the charisma his deceased older brother had; he was a pleasure to have around.

_I'll never throw it away_

Delia died seven years after Ash Junior was born, one week before Ash died, they were not generally sad, because she was reunited with her son, and who couldn't be happy about that?  
Soon Misty found herself sitting in a hotel pub, surrounded by kids...

_The memory will never die_

"And I still love him to this day" Misty said, She was 92, 78 years after Ash died, the kids gasped. "Not a day goes by without him being in my heart...""  
"Is it hard?" A little boy in the front asked.  
"Sometimes yes... but one day... I'll be with him again" Misty smiled.

_You made me believe_

"But you lost the boy of your dreams! How could that not be hard?" A little girl with amber eyes asked incredulously.  
"Like I said before he is apart of me... and he has been for 78 long years"  
"What happened to Brock and Kimmie?"

_The day you surrender to me_

"They died a year ago" Misty said "They were lucky and died together"  
Brock and Kimmie had died Kimmie from a heart-attack and Brock from a stroke.  
"And Corey?"  
"Died naturally" Misty simply answered.  
The kids looked pleased.

_The memory will never die_

"Alright kids time for bed!" Parents of the children rushed forward... tear stains on their cheeks... they had been listening to the story. "That probably pooped them out!" One mother said to Misty who giggled.  
"Hope they dream soundly" And the mothers beamed

_The love that you gave_

Misty went to bed that night dreaming her usual dream of being back in Ash's arms... That morning she didn't wake up.

_I'll never throw it away_

Now she was truly united with Ash again... and the afterlife did offer a chance to go further then kissing and they did ... Don't worry guys Misty was the younger version of herself again.

_The memory will never die_

And Misty's children and Grandchildren remembered her... their father and grandfather... and Ash for making Misty happy before he died

**THE END!**


End file.
